Improvement in apparatus for the manufacture of coal-gas



G. W. ISBELL. Apparatus for the Manufacture of Goal-Gas.

No. 221,565. Patented Nov. 11, 1879.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CHARLES W. ISBELL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

IMPROVEMENT IN APPARATUS FOR THE MANUFACTURE OF COAL-GAS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 221,565, dated November11, 1879; application filed April '21, 1879.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES W. IsBELL, of the city and State of NewYork, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Apparatus for theManufacture of Goal-Gas, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings,forming part of this speci-' iication.

This invention more particularly relates to a process and apparatus formanufacturing coal-gas which constitute the subject of Letters Patent N0. 214,042, granted to me April 4, 1879. That process consisted in aprocess of separating the naphthaline and other volatile hydrocarbonsfrom the tar produced in the manufacture of coal-gas by the direct andcombined action upon the tar of the hot coalgas and free steam, andsubsequently converting such hydrocarbons into permanent gas by theagency of heat. The means employed consisted in a combination, with thehydraulic main of one or more gas-producing retorts and one or moresecondary retorts for converting the naphthaline and other hydrocarbonsinto permanent gas, of a steam-scrubber interposed between the said mainand the secondary retorts, a pipe for conveying the tar from the saidmain to the said scrubber, a pipe or pipes and asteam-jet exhauster forconveying gas from the said. main and steam into the said scrubber, anda pipe or pipes for conveying the separated hydrocarbons into thesecondary retorts, wherein they were heated to convert them into apermanent gas, which was afterward passed into the gas-mains for generalconsumption.

The object of the invention in the present application is to dispensewith a separate furnace used to heat the secondary retorts forconverting the hydrocarbons into permanent gas, and to utilize for suchpurpose the waste heat or products of combustion which escape from theflues of the bench of retorts used to effect the distillation of thecoal, thereby economizin g fuel.

To this end the invention consists in a combination, with a bench ofretorts for the distillation of illuminating-gas from coal, and asteam-scrubber, into which are separately introduced the hot gas fromsaid retorts and a quantity of tar from the hydraulic main of saidretorts, and in which are vaporized a portion of the hydrocarbons ofsuch tar, of a converter which is arranged in or in communication withthe flues of said retorts, and is heated by the waste heat thereof, andinto which the steam, gas, or hydrocarbon vapors pass from said scrubberto be therein heated together for the conversion of the said vapors intopermanent gas.

Valves are also provided for regulating the escape of the waste heat toand through said converter, or direct from the fine or flues of thebench of gasproducing retorts, or both, as circumstances may require.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a front elevation ofan apparatus for the manufacture of coal-gas in accordance with theprocess herein before referred to, and having'my invention applied. Fig.2 is a vertical section mainly on the line war, in illustration of aconverter for the hydrocarbons into permanent gas as applied to orconnected with the escape flue or flues of a bench of gas-producingretorts in accordance with this invention.

A represents a bench of retorts in which coal may be distilled for theproduction of gas; B, the hydraulic main of said bench, and O a pipe forconveying the gas from said main to a steam-jet exhauster, D, by whichit is passed, along with free steam, to and through a steam-scrubber, E,containing twigs or other suitable material, over which the tar,conducted by a pipe, I), from the hydraulic main, is caused to flow,and, by its exposure to the gas and steam rising through the scrubber,has the naphthaline and other hydrocarbons separated and vaporized fromthe pitchy portion of it, all as described in my patent hereinbeforereferred to.

G is a pipe by which the separated and vaporized hydrocarbons are passedalong with the gas produced by distillation of the coal from thesteam-scrubber E to the converter, which changes said hydrocarbons intopermanent illuminating-gas. This converter, which takes the place of oneor more secondary retorts heated by a furnace which is separate anddistinct from that used in the bench of gas-producing retorts A,consists ofa chamber or receptacle, H, of any suitable shape, incommuuication by apertures d with the lines f of the bench A ofgas-producing retorts, and one or more close ducts or pipes, I, arrangedwithin said chamber, and connected with the pipe G, for passing orcirculating the hydrocarbons through such heating chamber to convertthem into permanent illuminating-gas.

I do not restrict the invention to any particular construction of theclose ducts or pipes I, nor yet to any particular arrangement of theconverter relatively to the bench A of retorts, so long as it connectswith the flues of said bench for 'utilizing the waste heat from saidbench. The lines f should be provided with valves g, and the aperturesd, which connect said tlues with the chamber ll, with valves h, toeither admit of a direct draft from said flues or to turn and regulatethe passage of the escaping products of combustion through theconverter, and from the latter by an outlet, 8, as circumstances mayrequire or the varying condition of the fire in the bench A of retortsmay render necessary. The whole volume of gas, after it leaves theconverter, is passed through the ordinary or any suitable purifyingapparatus.

Iclaim- 1. The combination, with one or more retorts for thedistillation of illuminating-gas from coal, and a steam-scrubber, intowhich are separately introduced the hot gas from said retorts and aquantity of tar from the hydraulic main of said retorts, of a converterwhich is arranged in or in communication with the flues of said retortsand is heated by the waste heat thereof, and into which the steam, gas,or hydrocarbon vapors pass from said scrubber, substantially as and forthe purpose herein described.

2. The combination, with the converter for changing the hydrocarbonvapors obtained from tar in the distillation of coal into permanent gas,and with the flues of a bench of retorts used in distilling said coal,in communication with said converter, of valves for controlling theescape of the gaseous products of combustion from said bench through thefiues or independently thereof, essentially as described.

CHAS. W. ISBELL.

Witnesses:

T. J. KEANE, FREDK. HAYNES.

